Meditation Retreats
“In Buddhism, we gain a type of experiential acquired knowledge that grows in our hearts through what we call ‘practice’. We use the word ‘practice’ in Buddhism much more that we use the word ‘belief’ We don’t say to each other: ‘ How’s your belief going?’ Instead, we ask, ‘How’s your practice going?’ It’s a different way of learning.”
The OBS will be offering the following retreats in 2026.
Note: For in-person residential retreats, financial assistance is offered through the Rhona Goodspeed retreat bursary. Please see Retreat Bursary for more details
Residential and On-Line Meditation Retreat led by LP Viradhammo
Location of Residential Retreat: Galilee Centre, Arnprior
Friday September 18th until Friday September 25th, 2026
Registration for the in-person retreat is closed
Online Retreat: To receive the Zoom link at take part in the retreat online, sign up for theOBS Monthly Newsletter or request the link: Contact Us. Download the retreat poster below for additional info including the schedule
Residential and Online Retreat with Ayyā Medhānandī & Ayyā Nimmala
Location of Residential Retreat: Galilee Retreat Centre, Arnprior,
Retreat dates: Sunday November 8th until Wednesday November 11th, 2026.
Registration for the in-person retreat opens on Monday August 17th.
A Hybrid Meditation Retreat
with Ayyā Medhānandī & Ayyā Nimmala
An Online & Residential retreat at the Galilee Retreat Centre,
Arnprior, Ontario, Canada
Sunday, November 8th to Wednesday, November 11th
Sponsored by the Ottawa Buddhist Society
Ayyā Medhānandī is the guiding teacher and founder of Sati Sārāṇīya Hermitage, the first Theravāda bhikkhunī monastery in Canada. She was ordained as a sāmaneri in 1988 in Myanmar under the guidance of Venerable Sayadaw U Pandita. After 10 years of training at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery with Ajahn Sumedho, she was based in New Zealand and Asia. In 2007, she fulfilled her long-held wish for bhikkhunī ordination in Taiwan before returning to Canada. Life’s spiritual tests have ignited her unrelenting faith to live this path with forgiveness, patience and compassion.
Ayyā Nimmalā began her training as a Theravāda Buddhist nun in 2008 with Ayyā Medhānandī as her teacher. She received bhikkhuṇī ordination in 2011 with Ayya Tathālokā and later co-edited the third and fourth editions of the Bhikkhunī Patimokkha with her. She spent 10 years in a small vihāra in Vancouver, British Columbia before returning to Sati Sārāṇīya in 2023.
Schedule: The retreat will begin on Sunday, November 8th, at 11:00AM. It will conclude on Wednesday, November 11th, at 1:00 PM. (Please see the daily schedule below.)
Registration will open on Monday, August 17th.
REGISTRATION for the IN-PERSON retreat: Complete the registration form using the following link:
Register Here
If you have any difficulty accessing the link and need assistance, please contact us at retreats@ottawabuddhistsociety.com .
Cost and Payment No deposit is required at registration.Retreat accommodation and meal costs are $455.00. Your payment will be made directly to Galilee Retreat Centre, by Thursday, October 8th. Payment information will be sent to you after registration. NOTE: The fee does not include your donation to the Bhikkhunī Saņgha at Sati Sārāņīya Hermitage.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: Information about the Rhona Goodspeed Bursary can be found at this link: Bursary The application deadline is: Thursday, October 1st.
NOTES: All rooms are single rooms.
In accordance with the Eight Precepts, two vegetarian meals will be provided each day, at 7:00AM and 11:00AM. There will also be a chocolate and cheese snack at 5:00PM.
QUESTIONS: Please contact retreats@ottawabuddhistsociety.com if you have any questions or concerns.
II. SIGN UP for the ON-LINE retreat
There is no registration required for the online retreat. The Zoom link will be posted in the November OBS Newsletter. You will also be able to obtain it by signing up on the Retreat page of the OBS website starting October 15th.
COST: The on-line retreat is Free, however a donation to Sati Sārāņīya Hermitage is encouraged. The Ayyas offer the teachings freely. Please practice generosity by making a donation on the Sati Sārāņīya Hermitage website: Sati
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:
Sunday November 8th, 2026
9:00 - 10:30AM Arrival, check-in, set up in the Meditation Hall
10:30 - 11:00 Organizational meeting for participants in the dining room to go
over logistics, led by the retreat manager
11:00 - 1:00PM Lunch and rest (not silent)
12:45 - 1:00 On-line participants join the retreat on Zoom
1:00 - 2:00 Retreat begins in the Meditation Hall. Noble silence begins
Welcome, eight precepts; meditation instructions by the Ayyas.
2:00 - 5:00 Alternate standing, walking and sitting meditation
5:00 - 6:00 Tea and cheese/chocolate, rest, individual informal practice
7:00 - 8:30 Dhamma talk, meditation, chanting
8:30 Night’s rest
Monday November 9th and SaturdayNovember 10th
5:45 - 6:00AM On-line participants join the Zoom retreat
6:00 - 7:00 Morning meditation with the Ayyas
7:00 - 8:30 Breakfast and informal practice
8:30 - 9:30 Instruction and sitting meditatio.
9:30 -11:00 Alternate walking and sitting meditation
11:00 - 2:00PM Lunch and informal practice
2:00 - 3:00 Instruction and sitting meditation with the Ayyas
3:00 - 5:00 Alternate sitting and walking meditation
5:00 - 7:00 Tea, cheese/chocolate snack, rest, individual informal practice
7:00 - 9:00 Mediation, dhamma talk, Q&A, chanting with the Ayyas
9:00 Night’s rest
Wednesday, November 11
5:45 - 6:00AM On-line participants join the Zoom retreat
6:00 - 7:00 Morning meditation with the Ayyas
7:00 - 8:30 Breakfast and informal practice. Check out for in-person
participants; luggage to foyer or cars
8:30 - 9:30 Instruction and sitting meditation.
9:30 - 10:00 Closing of online retreat
10:00 - 10:45 Closing of in-person retreat (thank yous, reflections, etc.)
10:45 - 11:00 Clean-up of Meditation Hall
11:00 - 12:00PM Lunch (not silent) for in-person participants
12:00 - 1:00 Departure
